2005 Harley-Davidson Sportster Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sportster years
- Not enough data 8th of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Harley-Davidson Sportster. That ranks 8th out of 11 Sportster model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is fuel system, gasoline (2 complaints, 50%), typically at around 9,200 miles. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 4owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2005 Harley-Davidson Sportster problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 50% | 9,200 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 50% | 4,269 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 25% | 8,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 25% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2005 Harley-Davidson Sportster recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:carburetor system
Problem: Certain motorcycles may have been produced with defective fuel shut-off valves. The functionality of the 'on' position and the 'reserve' position of the valve may have been reversed.
Risk: If the bike were operating with the valve in the 'on' position, the bike could run out of fuel, the expected fuel reserve will not be available. This could lead to the driver running out of gas without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the fuel valve and replace it, if necessary. The recall began february 7, 2005. Owners should contact harley-davidson at 1-414-342-4080.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 harley davidson sportster 1200 custom motorcycle. The transmission would not down shift to 3rd gear because it would lock. The contact would have to up shift to fourth and fifth gear before down shifting to first gear. This went on for a month. The dealer kept repairing…
Dt*: the contact stated there is a problem with the fuel system delivery concerning the carburetor. The vehicle intermittently failed to turn off or start and lost power while driving at various speeds. After inspecting the vehicle the dealership replaced the fuel valve, the drive belt and adjusted…
Not long after my 1000 mile new vehicle checkup, my 2005 xl883r sportster's front brake lever would collapse to the handle bar. The front brake would operate, but the lever would not return to the regular position. Also the brake light would stay on. After riding a few hundred yards, and repeatedly…
Dt: 2005 harley davidson with 37 miles on it. After the owner left with the motorcycle she noticed that it was choking and making terrible noises when the transmission was engaged. The noise being a severe clicking in 4th and 5th gears. It wa s a terrible rattle and ringing in the transmission…
Other Harley-Davidson Sportster years
← 2003 Sportster · 2007 Sportster →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 Sportster | 2 | 0 |
| 2007 Sportster | 1 | 0 |
| 2005 | 4 | 1 |
| 2003 Sportster | 8 | 0 |
| 2002 Sportster | 6 | 0 |
| 2001 Sportster | 6 | 0 |
| 2000 Sportster | 9 | 0 |
| 1999 Sportster | 6 | 1 |
| 1998 Sportster | 6 | 0 |
| 1997 Sportster | 1 | 0 |
| 1996 Sportster | 6 | 1 |
See all Harley-Davidson Sportster problems by year, every Harley-Davidson model, or the Harley-Davidson VIN decoder.
Similar Harley-Davidson models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Harley-Davidson Sportster?
Owners most often report fuel system, gasoline, power train, electrical system problems. The top one, fuel system, gasoline, accounts for 2 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2005 Harley-Davidson Sportster?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2005 Harley-Davidson Sportster a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Sportster model years, the 2005 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.